Overview
Brighter Sound is looking for an inspirational, creatively minded, and well-organised individual to join our Programmes team.
As Senior Programme Manager (Artist Development), you’ll work as a central part of Brighter Sound’s dedicated and ambitious team. You will provide an energetic, thorough, and flexible presence to develop and
produce a portfolio of projects and events including artist development projects and residencies, special commissions, internal and external collaborations, and live and streamed events.
You will be highly organised, have strong initiative, good attention to detail, be highly motivated, communicative and a team player. You’ll have excellent, relevant experience of event production, project, and partnership management.
Working closely with the Head of Programmes you will ensure a coherent and integrated approach across all our programming strategies, collaborating closely with other members of the team.
You will have an excellent knowledge of the music industry and artist development, good awareness of new music and will be passionate about equalising opportunity and diversity within the industry now and in the future.
Principle Objectives
1. To act as the senior programme manager for Brighter Sound’s artist development work, overseeing and managing all aspects of the programme.
2. To contribute to sector development at a local, national and international level by creating opportunities for new collaborations, shared learning and interrogation of best practice within the field of artist development across the north and nationally.
3. To lead on the launch of a number of new initiatives that will increase our support to independent artists and freelancers aligning with our post-pandemic recovery.
4. To develop and maintain positive and productive relationships with a range of existing and new partners across the sector such as venues, touring and co-producing networks, funders and stakeholders to create new opportunities for artists and the growth of the programme.
5. Line management of the Project and Events Assistant and any additional freelance, trainee, apprentice or intern posts supporting this programme of work.
Responsible to: Head of Programmes
Key Responsibilities
Programme Development & Delivery
Based flexibly in both our Manchester office and working remotely, you will operate across the North of England and internationally to manage and support the development, planning and implementation of the programme.
This will include:
- Leading on the programming, development and delivery of a wide range of fast-moving projects including small and large-scale special performances, commissions and Brighter Sound’s season and festival
- Managing the engagement of all artists, offers and negotiations of fees and overseeing the creative process from inception to completion
- Maintaining and developing strong relationships with a diverse range of artists and partners across the music industry including managers, agents, and promoters
- Working closely with several delivery teams, project partners, and across multiple cities and spaces to maintain and manage a cohesive and well delivered project
- Working with a range of partners to develop new project strands and activity
- Responsibility for the management of multiple budgets
- Carrying out relevant Risk Assessments for projects and ensuring records are kept centrally
- Maintaining a well organised, thorough, and timely approach to working under pressure, paying close attention to detail, storing coherent records of planning and development, and thinking and planning innovatively and with care.
Marketing, Monitoring and Audience Development
- You’ll play an important role in the external communications output of the company, helping to galvanise the network of artists in and around the Brighter Sound community and grow our audience reach
- Work in close collaboration with the Marketing team to agree on a programming approach that will grow our live and digital audience reach
- Work closely with our Operations team to ensure monitoring and data collection processes are up-to-date, embedded, and efficient
- You’ll oversee the collection, collation, and management of data from projects, working with practitioners, partners and participants to ensure data is collected thoroughly and input into central systems quickly
- You’ll be an important and knowledgeable point of contact for external enquiries, sharing information about the programme as well as the Company and current projects, delegating enquiries appropriately to team members and following through on enquiries in a timely and friendly manner.
Person Specification
Essential
Qualities
- An enthusiastic and supportive team worker with the confidence and initiative to work alone
- A helpful, friendly person who is keen to support colleagues, stakeholders and members of the public
- A pro-active approach to tasks, with a desire to take responsibility and take initiative
- Excellent attention to detail – a completer finisher with a methodical and thorough approach to work
- Excellent at juggling tasks and prioritising with the ability to stay calm under pressure
- Excellent communicator; open and inquisitive
- Excellent ability to form and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of people
- An eagerness to learn and a commitment to own Continued Professional Development
- This post will be subject to DBS check which the Company will administrate for successful candidates
Knowledge and Skills
- Over 3 years’ experience of working in a projects or events team
- A highly creative thinker in their approach to project management
- Strong commitment to equality, accessibility, and inclusivity in working practice
- Experience of managing multiple projects, to deadline and budget
- Experience of working within multiple partnerships
- Experience of working with emerging and professional artists
- Experience of producing public events
- Good knowledge of music and music industry
- Experience of delivering Arts Council funded project or work, or similar
- Excellent working knowledge of a range of Office software
- Strong people skills and able to communicate effectively with internal and external individuals, organisations and agencies.
- Ability to multi-task and work flexibly to meet varying Company needs
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Desirable
- Project management qualification / undergraduate degree in relevant subject
- Experience of working internationally
- A good working knowledge of and links with the music / education sector
- Full UK Driving license and car, and a willingness to move equipment when required
There will be a three-month probationary period for this position, during which your notice period will be one week. The notice period will increase to one month once the probationary period is complete.
All posts are subject to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) enhanced disclosure checks.
Staff benefits
- Annual leave entitlement: 25 days a year, plus public holidays
- Pension: Auto enrolment begins three months after the start date. Payments are in line with the statutory auto enrolment requirement
- Flexible working and home working
- Brighter Sound is committed to supporting employees with their professional development and regularly offers a wide range of organisational and individual training opportunities
How to apply
Please send the following documents to recruitment@brightersound.com
1. A copy of your CV
2. A cover letter (no more than 2 sides of A4) giving examples of your past experience to outline how you meet the key requirements of the role, including the skills listed in the person specification
3. A completed Equal Opportunities form
We’re committed to supporting and meeting the needs of people with learning difficulties or disabilities. If you require any support with the application process, please call us on 0161 546 5334 during normal working hours (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm).
Deadline: Sunday 17 October, 11pm
Interviews will take place on Tuesday 2 November.
If you have any questions, please contact our Head of Programmes Kate Lowes by emailing kate@brightersound.com
Equal opportunities
We strive to ensure that opportunities to work and develop at Brighter Sound are open to all. We treat all job applications equally, regardless of age, disability, gender identity or gender expression, race, ethnicity, religion
or belief, sex, sexual orientation or any other equality characteristics. We particularly encourage applications from disabled people and people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, as these groups are currently underrepresented in the cultural sector.
Brighter Sound is part of the Disability Confident scheme. We guarantee an interview to anyone who has a disability and meets our assessment of the minimum criteria for the role.
About Brighter Sound
Brighter Sound is a pioneering creative music charity based in Manchester. We nurture the music creators, leaders and industry professionals of the future, with a strong focus on supporting people who are underrepresented, or face barriers.
Rooted in the North of England and open to the world, our bold and responsive programme includes creative projects, commissions, residencies, workshops, training and events to help people with everything from artistic and career development to building communities, personal confidence and wellbeing.
Our main areas of work are:
- Supporting children and young people from all backgrounds to take part in high-quality and inclusive music making opportunities.
- Supporting and developing emerging artists, music facilitators and industry professionals, encouraging them to be innovators in their own careers, and active contributors to a fairer and more sustainable music industry.
- Connecting our participants to inspirational role models - in the past we’ve worked with artists like Kendrick Lamar, Nadine Shah, Max Richter, Ray BLK, Everything Everything, Stealing Sheep, Shiva Feshareki, Anna Meredith, Imogen Heap, Bugzy Malone and Snarky Puppy.
- Gender equality - since 2013 we’ve been working at the forefront of gender equality to create change for women and gender minorities in music. Our Both Sides Now initiative includes artistic development, training and apprenticeships, resources for music education and a new programme of leadership development, which
- includes the setting up of a brand-new record label.
- Strategic development - we work strategically across music education and talent development as a founding member of Youth Music’s Alliance for a Musically Inclusive England, and as a PRS Foundation Talent Development Partner. We are also sector lead for Manchester’s membership to the international Music Cities Network.
- Producing one-off music events and commissions, working with organisations like Reebok, the Great Exhibition of the North and Manchester City Council.
For more information, please visit www.brightersound.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @BrighterSound
